Tied 3-3 late in the third quarter of their top-15 showdown with the Missouri Tigers, the Vanderbilt Commodores got the first score of the game on a highlight reel 80-yard touchdown run from Makhilyn Young to take the lead for the first time on their way to a pivotal 17-10 win.
The battle between 10th-ranked Vanderbilt and the 15th-ranked Tigers brought together two of the most surprising programs in the SEC. Both teams were 6-1 with a legitimate shot at making the College Football Playoff. Today's victory will be a critical differentiator for the Commodores in the eyes of the selection committee.
Locked in a defensive battle, Missouri squandered multiple opportunities to take control of the game. In the third quarter alone, Tigers QB Beau Pribula was stopped short on a 4th and Goal at the 1, and kicker Robert Meyer missed a 29-yard field goal.
On the next play following the missed field goal, the Commodores seized the momentum with Young's explosive run. The senior running back came into the game with 296 yards on the ground, 11.0 yards per carry, and four scores. He's part of a deep Vanderbilt RB room that also features Sedrick Alexander and Jamezell Lassiter.
Without question, dual-threat QB Diego Pavia has been the heart and soul for Vanderbilt's improbable rise to the top 10. His relentless passion and improvisational skills have brought Clark Lea's team to heights not seen in decades. Vanderbilt's 7-1 start is its best since 1950.
After Missouri rallied to tie the game in the fourth quarter, Pavia led a 44-yard scoring drive that culminated with his game-winning touchdown run with 1:52 left in the game. Vanderbilt's defense made that seven-point lead stand up by stopping the Tigers from answering with a game-tying score in the final seconds.
The Commodores' pursuit of a historic College Football Playoff appearance continues next week during a road trip to face the struggling Texas Longhorns.
